Card-game scorer



May 15,1923. i 1,455,416

A. D.- WALKER CARD GAME SCORER Fil ed Oct. 4, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. ARTHUR. D. lMqLhEl-i".

W I M TTORNEYS.

May 15, 1923.

1,455,416 A. D. WALKER CARD GAME SCORER Filed Oct. 4. 1920 sSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: AFF'F'HU/PD Wqursh? A TTOR/VE Y5 r ielmsd Ma15, 1923.

ARTHUR JD. WALKER, @11 liHNE'EAPQLIS, EYIENNESOTA.

( GAED GAME SUQREFV.

Application filed hotelier 1929. Serial lilo. 414,397.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR D. l/VALnnn, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCard-Game Scorers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to card games scorers. An object of the inventionis the provision of a device intended particularly for scoring thepoints in the game of auction bridge so as to eliminate the presentmethod of scoring by means of paper and pencil. A turther object is toprovide a device in which the total scores and number of games standingto the credit of the players may be seen at a glance at any stage of thegame. In the present form of auction score sheet, the game points arerecorded below the line the honor points, slams, doubles, etc, arerecorded above the line. lit frequently happens that the players willinquire how the game stands, necessitating the addition of the colurnnsof figures from time to time. W hen my device is used, suchinterruptions are avoided; and it is not necessary to provide paper andpencils. Althoughmy scorer is intended particularly for scoring the ofbridge, it may also be used in playing other games of cards such as 500,whist, cribbage, or any card game which necessitates the keeping of ascore.

The full objets and advantages of invention will appear in connectionwith the detailed description thereof, and the novel features embodiedin my inventive idea are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. is a plan view of an individualscoring d vice suitable for three-handed games, each playor recordinghis own score on one of these devices as the game progresses. 2 is aplan view of a device for scoring "fourhanded games. Fig. 3 is a planview of device similar to that shown in Fig. 2 but made up in folderform. Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Role-trim to the particular construction shown in the drawings, the formof invention shown in Fig. 1 will first be described but the samereference numerals will be used for all of the forms so far asapplicable. The numeral 10 designates a base member which is made ofsuitable sheet material such as card board or celluloid. Printed orotherwise formed upon the lower portion of the base member is. a doublerow of numorals, the first row beginning with zero and extending as highas may be considered desirable, for instance, up to 17. The second rowextends from zero up to 9, correspond ing to the numbers in the firstcolumn and the remaining spaces opposite the numerals in the first roware each marked Zero. Pointers l2 and 1d are adapted to he slid alongthese two rows, respectively. Printed or otherwise formed upon the upperportion of the base member is a semi-circular scale 16 provided withnumbers indicating divisions extending from zero to 100. A pointor 18pivoted to the base member at 2-0 may be turned to indicate any one ofthese numbers. Upon the upper portihn of the base member is alsoprovided a column of figures starting with zero and with each succeedingnumber, one hundred greater than the precedin number. A pointer 22 isslidably mounted so as to be capable of indicating any one of thesenumbers. Fig. l shows a convenient method of slidably mounting thepointer 22, which method may be employed l or all of the other slidablepointers. Secured to the base member is a strip of flexible material,one side of which is upwardly curved to form a spring member .26 whichis provided with a slot 28. The rear end of the pointer 22 is providedwith a curved rib 30 engaged underneath the spring member 26 by means ofwhich the pointer is frictionally held in place. A stem 32 attached tothe rib 30 and extending through the slot 28 provides for sliding thepointer. A dial 3%- printed or otherwise formed upon the upper portionof the base mom er and provided with a pointer 36 pivotally attached atthe center of the dial is used for entering the number or games. Inorder that the device may be used for playing the game of 500, the basemember is preferably provided with a hole 38 adjacent which is a pivotedmember 40, so that the hole may be hovered or uncovered to indicatewhether the players score is based on the fact that he is this amountout of the hole or this amount in the hole. Fig. 2 shows a form or"invention in which the general arrangement'is similar to that shown in 1but is provided with duplicate scoring devices on the left-hand andright-hand sides, so that the scores of partners may be recorded forfour-handed games. 'llhe two sides may he roe lid

printed in different colors, for instance black and red for conveniencein designating the two opposing sides of players in which case they willbe designated as red and black instead of as at present by the terms weand they. The parts on the right-hand side of this form of the inventionwhich correspond to similar parts on the left-hand side are designatedby the same reference numerals with the prime mark added. he twopointers 22 and 22 in this form are on opposite sides of the same scale.Fig. 3 shows a form of the invention similar to that shown in Fig. 2 butarranged in folder form, the two side portions being capable of beingfolded together upon the line 42. In order to permit folding, separatecolumns are provided for the two pointers 22 and 22'.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be obvious from theforegoing description. Game points are recorded below the middle line ofthe device by the pointers 12 and 1 1. In the game of bridge, thirtypoints must be scored to win a game but it frequently happens that overthirt points are scored in a sin le game. l or instance, a declarant biding four spades and making his bid, would record thirty-six points.These points would be registered by moving the pointer 12 to the figure3" in the first column and the pointer 14 to the figure 6 in the secondcolumn as shown at the right in Fig. 2. The winner of the game wouldthen record one game on the scale 34 and place thirty-six points to hiscredit on the semi-circular scale 16, the latter being also used toregister honors, slams, doubles, and rubbers. For example, the winnerjust referred to may hold simple honors in spades and would, therefore,be

entitled to register eighteen points in the semi-circle, thus making atotal amount to be registered on this scale 'of fifty four. When thetotal points to be registered on the semicircular scale amount to onehundred or over, the one hundred points are transferred to the columnadjacent the pointer 22 which is slidably moved to indicate this amount.If the amount scored at this time is exactly one hundred, then thepointer 18 is turned back to zero, but in case the last score exceededone hundred the excess over this amount is recorded by setting back thepointer 18 the proper amount. readily seen that the total in the columnad- "jacent the pointer 22 plus the total indicated on the semi-circularscale will record the 7 gross total at the end of each game of theparties participating therein, and will avoid the necessity of addingthe figures to ascertain how the game stands, thus saving time. At theend of the play, the dial. 34 will indicate the number of games won andthe total score of eacli party can be seen at a glance by observing theposition of the pointers 22 and 18.

I claim:

A card game scorer comprising a sheetlike member, a strip of flexiblematerialsecured along one of its edges to said sheetlike member, thebody of said stripbeing curved to provide a spring member in spacedrelation to said sheetlike member, a pointer resting upon saidsheetlikemember, a curved rib upon the rear of said pointer engaged bythe curved portion of said strip, and a stem extending out from saidrib, said stem passing through a longitudinal slot in the curved portionof said strip whereby said pointer may he slid for the purpose ofbringing it into register with anyone of a succession of numbers lacedad acent said'strip.

In testimony w iereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ARTHUR D..WALKER..

It will be

